1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to drills and more specifically it relates to a disk opener and packer wheel system for maintaining a constant disk opener depth and for maintaining a constant packing of the soil by the packer wheel when planting upon uneven surfaces.
Combination disk openers and packer wheels have been in use for years. Conventional devices work excellent when utilized upon relatively smooth ground surfaces. However, uneven seeding can occur when seeding upon relatively rough ground surfaces. Since it is extremely important to have a constant seed depth with the soil, conventional seeding systems do not provide the best possible crop. Hence there is a need for a seeding system that operates on both smooth and rough ground surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drill furrow openers and packer wheels have been in use for years. Typically, a conventional seed drill will have a frame member pivotally attached to the implement frame with a spring means maintaining downward pressure upon the frame member. Attached to the front portion of the frame member is the disk opener with a seed tube positioned within and behind the disk opener. Attached to the rear portion of the frame member is the packer wheel for packing the opened furrow created by the disk opener.
When using a conventional seed drill, typically a disk opener will penetrate the ground surface at a desired depth to create a furrow. The seed is placed within the opened furrow behind the disk opener. A packer wheel, attached to the same frame member as the disk opener, typically follows the disk opener for closing the furrow so that the seed is completely enclosed with soil.
A problem occurs when the disk opener engages an object such as a rock or a hardened piece of soil. When the disk opener is pushed up by the object, the packer wheel is simultaneously lifted up since they are attached to the same frame member. When the packer wheel is lifted up, the furrow containing the seed remains open with the seed undesirably exposed.
Another problem occurs when the packer wheel eventually engages the object that the disk opener went over. When the packer wheel engages the object, the disk opener is simultaneously lifted up since they are attached to the same frame member. When the disk opener is lifted up, the furrow is not at a desirable depth with the seed sometimes being placed directly upon the ground surface. Hence there is a need for a disk opener and packer wheel system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.
Examples of seeding devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,140 to Anderson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,207 to Dreyer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,902 to Janelle et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,169 to Ribouleau; U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,625 to Johnson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,392 to Dreyer et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,048 to Fuss et al which are all illustrative of such prior art.
Anderson et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,140) discloses a drill having a disk furrow opener and press wheels which determine the depth of penetration of the disks.
Dreyer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,207) discloses a press wheel depth control for grain drill furrow openers. Dreyer teaches a depth control for grain drills by utilizing a press wheel which can be adjusted to control the depth of each individual furrow opener to insure uniform depth of planting.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for maintaining a constant disk opener depth and for maintaining a constant packing of the soil by the packer wheel when planting upon uneven surfaces. Conventional seeders tend to not operate efficiently upon uneven ground surfaces leaving seed exposed either directly upon the ground surface or within the seed furrow.
In these respects, the disk opener and packer wheel system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of maintaining a constant disk opener depth and for maintaining a constant packing of the soil by the packer wheel when planting upon uneven surfaces.